Improvement in photographic apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

N. WRIGHT. PHOTOGRAPHIG APPARATUS.

No. 52,239. Patented Jan. 23, 1866.

2 Sheets*Sheet 2 N. WRIGHT. PHOTOGRAPHIG APPARATUS.

No. 52,239. Patented Jan. 23, 1866.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NELSON WRIGHT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lN PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS.

To It trimm it may con-cern:

Be it known that I, NELSON VRIGHL of the city, county, and Statet' New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic Apparatus, ot' which the following a lnll, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying` drawings, all of which forni a part of this specitication, iii which- Figure l is a side elevation ot' a camera constructed according to my improved plan. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section ot the said camera with the plate-liolder attached. Fig. 3 is a vertical section ot' the plate-holder parallel with the face ot' the plate, which is represented iii red outline. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section ot' the developing-tray. Fig. 5 is a top view ot' the developing-tray. Fig. 6 is a vertical section ot the developing-tray with the plate-holder attached.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts ottlie apparatus in all the iigures of the drawings.

'lhe object of my invention is to obtain a complete portable photographic apparatus which is particularly adapted for the taking ot' photographic pictures hy the wet process, out doors or ,in any place where it would be impossible to provide a dark-room or darktent for that purpose, or where circumstances would make it very troublesome and expensive to do so. By the peculiar construction ot' this improved photographic apparatus great facilities are aii'orded for transferring theplates from one part of the apparatus to another 'part thereof, so as to pass through the several necessary processes of preparing the plates, of taking the pictures, and of developing them without the plates being in the least exposed to the light and without the aid of a dark-room.

For this purpose those parts of the apparatus 1 into which the plates have to he transferred from 'the plate-holder, or from which they have to be transferred to the plate-holder, are provided with a slide,to which the plate-holder can be attached7 and as the slide is removed the plate-holder lls its place and prevents the light I from entering', and in the saine manner when the plate-holder is withdrawn thel slide will follow directly in conjunction with the plateholder, and thus keep the apparatus closed.

`:Another part of the invention relates to the construction of the camera, whereby greater facility is afforded for the adjustment of the vertical position of the plate. For this purpose the adjustable back part ot' the camera, which supports the plate-holder, is swiveled centrally to the bottom board, and is provided with a set-screw to secure it in the desired position.

Another part ot' the invention relates tothe construction of the developing-tray, .whereby the necessity ot' a dark room or tent for the developing process is dispensed with.

I will now further describe my improvements with reference to the drawings and the letters thereon, to enable others to make and use them.

A, Figs. 1 and 2, represents the iront of the camera, to which the object-glass or lens, which is not represented in the drawings, is to be attached. This front A is firmly attached to and is supported by a bottom board or foundation, B. A sliding piece or carriage, C, is fitted to the said foundation. B in such a manner that it can freely slide thereon, and for the purpose of the carriage O being guided the foundation B is provided on each side with a metallic feather or tongue, a, which is fitted into grooves of a piece, b, attached to the hottom of the said carriage O. By means of a nut, c, and bolt d, the head of which slides ina grooved recess, e, Fig. 2, the said carriage O is held in the desired position. To each side of this carriage O a standard, j', is rmly secured by means ot' screws or in any other substantial manner. rlhe said standards f support between them a frame, D, which is attached to them by means of two opposite screws. or pivots, pit, at about the center of the said frame, so that it can swing between the said standardsf.

By means of a screw-bolt being attached to the frame D and passing through a curved slit, h, in the standard f, and by a nut, g, the position ot the frame D after it has been properly adjusted is rmly secured. This swinging fra-me D constitutes the back part of the camera, and is connected with the front A by means of the folding or extension part E, of bellows-like construction.

By moving the carriage G the folding or extension part E will be either extended or contracted, and consequently the camera can in this manner be made longer or shorter, according as it will be requisite, and after the caniera has thus been adjusted longitudinally and the carriage C is secured in its position by means of the nut c the frame or back part D of the camera canl further be adjusted on the pivots p* to any desired or required an gle-` and be then secured in its position by the n ut g, as stated before.

The swinging part D is provided with a projecting part or ledge, H, at the bottom, which is a support both for the focusing-glass holder or the plate-holder. By arranging the back of the camera to swing on pivots supported on the carriage G very great convenience is afforded for its adjustment. In large cameras the swinging front is impracticable, as it is out of reach of the operator while focusing at the rear; but the arrangements of swinging backs heretofore made have also been very inconvenient, and have required an addition to the camera, which increased its length.

F, Fig. 1, is the frame which holds the focusing-glass, and is attached and held to the camera by means of proper recesses and projections' and by a hook,z', at the top part, catching over a pin or screw, k. rIhe plate-holder is attached to the camera in the same manner. (See Fig. 2.)

G, Figs. 2, 3, and 6, is the frame of the plate-holder, which has an opening, q, at the bottom, through which the plates are received and delivered. The front part of said frame is provided. with a dark-slide, l, made and applied in the usual manner. At the backof said frame ilan ges m project inward, forming arecess all around, into which a loose back, n, is fitted in such a 'manner thatA it can move freely backward and forward therein. The said back n is provided at the bottom with a ledge, o, which covers the opening q when the back is pressed forward, and thus prevents thelight from entering into the plate-holder through this opening q.

p p are springs at the sides of the loose back n, inside of the plate-holder, by which the said back n is pressed outward and held in that position if required. v1' r are two springs on the inner side of the loose back, which press the plate t, Fig. 2,` forward into its proper positiou or focus when the back is pressed forward.

'l The loose back n is provided ou the outside with a swiveled bar, s, by which the said back n, when it has been pressed forward, can be retained in that position by means of the ends of bar s being brought under the fianges m.

The back part of the plate-holder, in which the loose back n vibrates, yis made separately from the front, whereby better facility is obtained to fit and insert the loose back n and the springs p. This said back part ismade somewhat smaller than the front part of the plate-holder, and both parts are firmly united by means of screws or in any other substantial manner.

"The plate-holder is provided with a sliding frame or carriage, l, the two side pieces, u,

of whicu are made oi whaleboue, hard vulcanized india-rubber, or other suitable material, and are provided with proper recesses or grooves o for the reception of' the plate-glass t. This frame I is fitted into grooves inside of the frame G. The said grooves run parallel with the opening q ot' the plate-holder. To the top of the said sliding frame or carriage I, at or near the center, a tube, zo, of hard vulcanized india-rubber is firmly attached, which passes through an opening in the top of the plate-holder, wherein it can slide. The said tube w is of such a length as to allow the carriage I to be pushedout about hal tway through the opening q at the'bottoin ot' the plate-holder, as shown in Fig. 3, andis provided at the top with a knob, w', and the opening in the plate-holder through which the said tube w passes is provided with proper packing, so that. no light can enter.

K. is a whnlebone'rod, which has a projecting nose, at the lower end, and a stud or pin, y, at a proper distance above, so that a plate of glass of the proper size will loosely fit between the nose :and the said pin y. The upper part of this rod K is iliade to tit into the tube w, so that it can freely turn and slide therein, and is lnade ot such a length that it can be projected below the carriage a distance nearly the width of the plate, as shown iu Fig. 3, so that when a plate of glass is supported by the nose of the rod Ii the upper corners of said glass plate will rest in the grooves e, and will be held by the side pieces, u, of the ear- -riage l.V

To the upper Jend of the rod K a knob, z, is firmly attached, which allows the said rod to be projected the proper distance, and by the means of which it can be raised, lowered, or turned around, as occasion may require.

This construction of the carriage and its appurtenances allows the plate alone to be low ered into vthe silvenbath, the central rod, K,

being long enough to extend so ar down.

through the lower end of the hollow rod as Ytuo suspend the plate with its upper edge clear of everything but the pin y, and even this pin may be dispensed with, the upper part of the plate being steadied by the upper parts of its sides remaining in the lower parts of the grooves 'v 'v of' the side pieces, u u. of the carriage I, asxshhown in Fig. 3

The lower end bf the frame Gr of the plateholder is made in the form of a male dovetail, a', by which the plate-holder is connected with the developing-tray, (see Fig. 6,) and likewise with the silver-bath. As the connection of the plate-holder with either the silver-bath ol' the developing-tray is eiected in the saine manner, I shall therefore describe the developing-tray only, and explain how the connection of the plate-holder is made therewith and the glass plates are changed from the plate-holder into the developing-tray.

L, Figs. 4, 5, and-6, is the out-side or frame of the developing-tray, 4which has an opening at the back and front and one at the top. A yellow-glass plate, b,is placed inside the tray to cover the back opening, and the sides and bottom ot" the tray are linedwith glass. Two strips et' glass,.c, are placed-in the front opening, one toward the bottom and one. toward the top ofthe tray, and all these glasses are laid with their edges into indiarubber or otherwise cemented together, so as to be watertight. Into the back part of the tray, outside-of the yellow-glass plate, a door, d', is accurately fitted and attached to the frame L byV means of hinges c', and when closedis held by a buttoinf, in its position. (See-Fign.) The inside of the door d should be covered with a reflecting substance. Into the front opening ot' the said tray a fra-me, M, is tightly lit- 'ted in such a manner that it can easily be attached thereto, or removed therefrom. This frame M is provided with a yellow-glass plate, g', where it connects with the outer frame, L, ot the developing-tray,which is tightly fitted andrml y secured in it. A sight-box, 7i', which is so shaped that it can be closely applied to the eyes or face, is attached to a frame, O, and this is connected with the frame M by mean-s of an extension -part or bellows, N. Into the bottom ot' the developing-tray two pieces of rubber, K','or if other sitable elastic substance, are placed, one at each side of the tray, the upper ends, y', of which are made te incline toward the yellow-glass plate b', (see Fig. 6,) so that when a plate, t, is dropped into the tray the said plate t will come in close contact with the yellow-glass plate b'.

P, Figs. et and 5, is a cup or funnel placed on one side, near the bottom, of the developingtray, and communicates with theinside thereot by means of a hollow stem, Z', for the purpose of supplying` the developing-tray with the developing solution or water and ot' pourin out the said solution or water therefrom.

The top-cover Q of the developing-tray is provided with a male dovetail, which ts accurate] y into a female dovetail in the top part' of the tray. The inside of the said top-cover Q is provided with an elastic packing, m', and theoutside has twoswiveled springs, n a', attached to it, by means of which, when they are depressed at their ends and secured under the projecting prongs O', the top part of. the developing-tray will be made vperfectly watertight.

The male dovetail a', on the lower part of the plate-holder is made to coincide with the dovetail of the top-cover Q, and for this purpose they are lapped together; and the plateholder is provided with a pin, p', Fig. 3, and the top-cover'Q is provided with a hole, q', Figs. 4 and 5, to fit the pin p.

NVhen a plate is to be transferred from the plate-holder to the developing-tray without exposing the plate to the light, the springs a ofthe top-cover Q must be relieved at their ends. The. pin p of the plate-holder is then inserted into the hole q at the end of the topcover Q, and the plate-helder is pushed or pressed against the end of the ltop-cover Q, and as .the said top-cover is pressed out it will be replaced bythe plate-holder. A stop on one side'ot' 'the plate-holder will arrest it when brought -into proper position. The ends of the bar s at the back ot' the plate-holder are now withdrawn from under the flanges mi, and theback a is allowed to tall back to its original p position. This withdrawsthe ledge o fromthe opening g at thev bottom ot' the plate-holder, and. free communication between the plate- .hlderand th'e'de-veloping-tray is established. T

ie glass plate t is nowlowered into the developing-tray by turning laronnd the rod K, and in this manner -the'nose .ya is withdrawn from under the glass plate, which now drops into elastic pieces k. rlhe back n is pressed forward and secured in that position by means oi' the bar s. 'this'V has brought the ledge o forward and closed the open-ing q. The plateholder is then withdrawn and the top-cover Q will follow, and thus keep the opening at the top of the developing-tray closed. The top of cover Q is now firmly fastened by means of thev springs n a". The developing-tray is tfurned with its back downward, and through the cup or funnel Pa sufficient quantity of developer-is poured into the tray. -The door d at the back ot' theptray is next opened, and the said tray has such movement given' toit bythe hands of the operator that the developer Will'ow freely over the plate. Its action can be watched through the `yellow glass, and light can be thrown through the under side by means of the reiiector upon the door d. When the picture is developed the solution is poured out through the'cup or funnel P and water is poured in to wash the picture. When the picture has been washed thoroughly the water is poured out, the top-cover Qis slid ott', the 'extension-box or bellows N and those parts which are permanently connectedl therewith are removed, and the plate is taken out and fixed, and then placed in the platebox.

The developing-tray is afterward washed, and

'it is ready for a repetition ot' the operation.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure'by Letters Patent, is-

1. suspending the entire back of the camera, substantially as herein specified, on pivots pt, supported upon the carriageC, which slides back and forth upon the bottom board of foundation B.

2. In combination with the carriage I of the plate-holder, constructed with grooved sides c c and a hollow rod, ze, the central rod, K, constructed extending downward right through and below the hollow rod and carriage, and operating substantially as herein specified.

3. Providing the developing-trays and the 'baths for photographic purposes with sliding covers, so applied and furnished with means ot' attachment to the plate-holder that the said cover may be slid off and drawn back to their places, substantially as herein described, by the application of the holder to 4the plate 0r bath, thereby allowing the pinne to be transl ferred from. the holder to the tray or bath without exposure to the light.

4. Furnishing the developing-tray with a,

sight-box, G, connected by means of albellowslike extension7 substantially as and `for the purpose herein specified.

5. Furnishing the bottom of the developingtray with elastic corner pieces 'lo' 7c', having their upper surfaces inclined toward the glass back b', substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

6. The construcltionof the developing-tray with one side, M g', movable, substantially as herein described, to provide for the cleaning.

7. The elastic lining m' of the lid. in combination with the elast-ie lower corner pieces,

,k 7c', substantially as herein described, for the purposeot` holding the plate during the devel oping and washing processes.

' NELSON WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

HENRY {F.BROWN, J. W. GOOMBS. 

